As October with its balloons, treats, and tricks comes to a close, the holiday season starts to ramp up. As soon as the jack-o-lanterns go out, Thanksgiving planning starts. Texts with travel itineraries and potluck plans take over your inbox, and you’re left wondering where the time went, while counting down the minutes until you start cooking.
At Sadie’s of New Mexico, Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays. We get to spend time doing all of our favorite things– spending time with family, honoring traditions, and cooking great food, all with love. As special as the time is, we know that feeding a big family, while trying to keep everyone happy, can be a challenge.
If you’re looking for a few new dishes to add a New Mexican flair to your Thanksgiving lineup, Sadie’s has you covered. Keep reading for all of our favorite New Mexican dishes worthy of one of the most important meals of the year. And with Sadie’s catering, these dishes have never been easier to get on the table.
Chips and Salsa
Appetizers might be one of the most important parts of any meal– and Thanksgiving dinner is no different. They keep you from getting too hungry, so you can really enjoy your main course, while warming up your tastebuds– in this case, literally!
Chips and salsa are a crowd-pleasing classic. Sadie’s Hot Salsa has the perfect balance of spicy, earthy green chile, garlic, and fresh tomato. Paired with the crunch of a tostada chip, Salsa turns into the perfect Thanksgiving appetizer. They’re easy to eat while chatting with guests, watching football and parades, or working to get dinner on the table. Even better, the prep work is minimal. Simply pour Sadie’s Hot Salsa into a bowl (extra points if you chill it first) and serve with a large bowl of Sadie’s Tostada chips.
Sadie’s has your appetizer needs covered. If you have guests who enjoy the milder side, Give Sadie’s Not-As-Hot salsa a try: https://sadiessalsa.com/product/sadies-medium-salsa/
If you’re a Lobo fan looking to support your favorite team, and set out an easy gameday snack. Try Sadie’s Lobo Salsa: https://sadiessalsa.com/product/sadies-lobo-salsa/
Calabacitas
Even though the turkey is the star of the show, the sides make the meal. When potatoes, candied yams, stuffing and green bean casserole are on the table, there’s no doubt that you’re sitting down to a filling, comforting meal. When trying to get all the classics on the table in time, we often forget to enjoy the seasonal produce that makes Thanksgiving the holiday of gratitude we know today! Pumpkin and apple pies give us the opportunity to savor some of the season, but squash often gets left off the dinner plans. To add something seasonally special to your Thanksgiving lineup, try a fresh, colorful, and unmistakably New Mexican dish: Calabacitas.
Calabacitas is the perfect seasonal side to serve with Thanksgiving dinner. A mixture of fresh zucchini and squash, sauteed until perfectly soft, this dish is simple, guaranteed to be a hit, and easy to make in large batches. Served with a sprinkle of cheddar on top, or plain alongside your favorite Thanksgiving sides, calabacitas is the perfect addition to any meal.
Posole
Pork isn’t your first thought when planning your menu for “Turkey Day”– and neither is posole. But with a combination of a rich pork broth, hominy, and the familiar heat of local chile, Posole brings an unexpectedly delicious dimension to your meal. The heat, richness, and comforting flavors brought out by slow simmering pair well with the sweetness of sweet potatoes or yams, and bring a little spice to classics like stuffing or your favorite dinner rolls. Hominy soaks up all the flavor from the broth, and brings a little seasonal sensation to top it all off.
Posole can be a comforting appetizer to keep guests full and chefs fueled before the main meal, or a savory side-dish destined for the dinner table. Posole recipes vary from family to family, but if you’re looking to avoid long cooking times before your celebration, try Sadie’s family recipe. Sadie’s signature posole (and Green chile stew, for something spicier!) is available for catering.
Red Chile
This addition isn’t quite “non-traditional”. Thanksgiving toppings divide the country– from debating canned or homemade cranberry sauce to what kind of gravy gets set out with the meal. But there’s one topping that everyone can agree on, at least in the southwest. Every holiday meal in New Mexico, red chile takes its place on the table with the mashed potatoes. Like the Sadie’s family, most New Mexicans enjoy red chile plain, poured over mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey– just about everything. But some combine it with warm, seasonal spices and broth to make a red chile gravy that compliments every element of the meal– and still goes on everything.
Red chile gravy adds more than just a little spice to your Thanksgiving dinner. It adds a bit of New Mexican culture and tradition.
Sopaipillas and Biscochitos
No matter what your favorite part of Thanksgiving is, desserts always have you coming back for more. Pies are the classic Thanksgiving dessert, balancing a savory meal with a little bit of sweetness. For versatile, crowd-pleasing desserts, give biscochitos and sopaipillas a try.
Sopaipillas are everything you want from a dessert after a heavy meal. Light, warm, and fluffy, they’re easy to customize, and can be served to upgrade every part of your meal. Sopaipillas make a wonderful addition to the main meal, where they can pair with your main protein, or mop up the chile, sauces, and gravy on your plate. When served for dessert, top with honey for something light and sweet, or eat them plain to wrap up your thanksgiving meal.
Biscochitos are the New Mexican state cookie, and are usually served around Christmas, but these anise and cinnamon coated cookies compliment the seasonal spices of Thanksgiving dinner. These cookies might be simple, but they’re a celebration staple. Families gather to make big batches while they ahsre unique recipes, quality time and plenty of laughter. They represent everything that makes the holidays special: spending time with your family, sharing (or starting!) traditions, and making food with love.
This Thanksgiving, Sadie’s of New Mexico is always ready to make your holidays happier. If you’re running out of burners, feeding a big family, looking for variety, or just looking to make this Thanksgiving holiday a little more relaxing, we’re happy to help. Every New Mexican classic listed above is available on our regular catering menu–so just reach out for some holiday help.
Contact our catering team and view our catering menu here: https://www.sadiesofnewmexico.com/catering-private-dining/